Audio headsets are used for listening to music, playing video games, telephonic communication, noise cancelling, etc. The basic form of conventional audio headsets has remained fairly consistent for several decades. A typical dual-earpiece audio headset includes earpieces at respective ends of a headpiece shaped to bridge a user's head. Each of the earpieces includes a speaker that converts an audio signal into sound. The sound is generated in close proximity to a user's ear, so the sound can be fully audible to the user while still being inaudible or minimally audible to others around the user. This makes audio headsets ideal for use in public settings.
Unlike the basic form, the manner in which audio signals are conveyed from sources (e.g., music players) to earpieces varies among conventional headsets. One type of conventional headset includes an external cord that splits into two branches. One branch directly connects to a first earpiece and the other branch directly connects to an opposite second earpiece. Unfortunately, these branches are often prone to tangling. Furthermore, the branches often merge at a crook that is highly susceptible to damage. Another type of conventional headset includes a bridging cord that connects earpieces to one another through an associated headpiece. In this type of conventional headset, both of the earpieces can be operable even when only one of the earpieces is connected to a source. Conventionally, however, it has been difficult to effectively manage slack in the bridging cord that develops when the headset is adjusted for fit. In one example of a conventional approach to this problem, a bridging cord is exposed at joints in a headset so that the bridging cord can bulge or otherwise deform as needed in response to changes in slack. This approach is suboptimal. For example, exposed portions of the bridging cord may interfere with operation of the associated joints, snag during handling of the headset, interfere with the visual continuity of the headset form, and/or have other disadvantages. For these and/or other reasons, there is a need for innovation in this field.